• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Jobs
  • Career
    • Cyber Security Training
    • Work from Home
    • Cyber Security Analyst
    • Remote Work – Six Ways to Keep Your Data Safe When Working Remotely
  • Field Guide
  • Newsletter Signup
  • Deals
  • News
AskCyberSecurity.com

AskCyberSecurity.com

Cyber Security News & Information

  • Home
  • Data Privacy
    • Gamers
    • Government Cyber Security
      • Legislation
      • Standards
        • What are the risks of computer security?
        • Medical Cyber Security
    • Social Media
  • Security
    • Data Breaches
    • Scams
    • Malware
  • Software
    • Apps
    • Web Browsers
  • Glossary
    • Cyber Security Acronyms
  • About Ask Cyber Security
    • Authors
    • Contact Us
  • VPN
    • How Do I Know If My VPN is Working?
    • Best Free VPN iPhone
    • Why Use a VPN?
    • NordVPN vs IPVanish
    • Private Internet Access Download
    • Best VPN for Streaming
      • TikTok VPN
    • VPN Porn
    • Computer Security Software – What You Really Need
  • Tutorials
AskCyber Home » News » data privacy » Grindr Dating App Deemed Security Risk

Grindr Dating App Deemed Security Risk

2019-03-28 by Michelle Dvorak

Grindr Cyber Security Risk

Grindr Foreign Ownership of Data Threatens National Security

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) ordered the sale of dating app Grindr due to cyber security concerns. Grindr is a social and dating app for gay, trans, bi and queer people owned by Beijing Kunlun Tech Co Ltd. CFIUS expressed concerns that the personal data collected by Grindr could be used to blackmail individuals with security clearances. Foreign ownership of personal data threatens national security.

Beijing Kunlun Tech Co Ltd, formerly Kunlun Ltd., is a Chinese gaming company that owns Grindr. Beijing Kunlun Tech Co., Ltd. conducts research, development, and the distribution of mobile game platforms in China and internationally. It also provides online financial services and has a stake in web browser, Opera. Kunlun purchased a majority stake in California based Grindr in 2006 and then bought out the rest of the company in 2016 and 2018. Since August 2018, Kunlun was preparing for an initial public offering of Grindr but now is looking to sell.

CFIUS concern centers around the fact the Chinese ownership of the app and its data. As a dating app, it’s no surprise Grindr collects highly personal information about its users. Grindr users post photos and share personal details including age, sexual preferences, HIV status as well as current location. The security concern is that China could access and exploit the personal data collected by Grindr to target security workers, officials, and even ordinary citizens and coerce them into spying on the US.

What is CFIUS?

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and operates under the US Treasury Department. According to its website, CFIUS is authorized to review certain transactions involving foreign investments in the United States in order to determine the effect of such transactions on US national security. CFIUS rarely reverses an acquisition after the sale is completed.

What is Grindr?

Grindr was launched in 2009 and is an online social network and dating app for gay, bisexual, transsexual, and queer people. Grindr is available on iOS and Android mobile devices and is free to use. The app also has a subscription-based version, known as called Grindr Xtra. In 2018, Grindr had 3.6 million daily active users in 196 countries.

In 2.018 Grindr was found to be sharing users’ HIV statuses with third-party app optimization companies, Apptimize and Localytics. Grindr was sharing private data with its contracted ad agencies including their gay subculture, relationship status, and location data. This information was connected to individual users through their email addresses and device IDs. Data-harvesting is a common revenue generator amongst tech companies. Grindr does not work with third party data brokers or sell user information to advertisers.

This is not the first time the US Government has taken issue with Chinese companies buying US firms loaded with data on US citizens. In the last two years, the US Government has stopped Chinese investors from acquiring MoneyGram International Inc and AppLovin. The US still has an ongoing dispute with Huawei, the Chinese telecom company.

How Does the Chinese Government Convince US Citizens to Spy on Their Behalf?
China is known to approach Chinese expats to convince them to spy on behalf of the Chinese government. Then it’s pressure with “your family lives here. The exploitation of personal data makes it easier for Chinese intelligence agencies to make successful “cold pitches” to Americans to those with security clearances and persuade them to spy.

Filed Under: data privacy Tagged With: Grindr

About Michelle Dvorak

Michelle writes about cyber security, data privacy focusing on social media privacy as well as how to protect your IoT devices. She has worked in internet technology for over 20 years and owns METRONY, LLC. Michelle earned a B.S. in Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Michelle published a guide to Cyber Security for Business Travelers


LinkedInTwitterFacebook

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Our Free Newsletter

We Don't Share or Sell Your Info

Web Browsers

Where Are My Saved Passwords in Chrome?

Google Removes 70 Malicious Browser Add-ons from Chrome Web Store

Firefox 75 Reports Your Browser Settings to Mozilla

Categories

Cyber Security Field Guide

Computer Security While TravelingGet Our Cyber Security Field Guide - Available on Amazon!

Recent Posts

Security Marketing Manager – Remote

Sr. Associate, Cybersecurity Architect – Pfizer

Strategic Customer Success Manager – Cybersecurity – Opportunity for Working Remotely

Top 20 Passwords Leaked on Dark Web

ISU Cybersecurity Leader Job Opening

Cyber Security News

Top 20 Passwords Leaked on Dark Web

… [Read More...] about Top 20 Passwords Leaked on Dark Web

Apple Warns of Actively Exploited Zero-Day Flaw

… [Read More...] about Apple Warns of Actively Exploited Zero-Day Flaw

IRS Stops Facial Recognition System for Online Access

… [Read More...] about IRS Stops Facial Recognition System for Online Access

National Cybersecurity Alliance Announces Data Privacy Week

… [Read More...] about National Cybersecurity Alliance Announces Data Privacy Week

More Cyber Security News

Tags

amazon Android Apple bitcoin China chrome CISA credit card DarkSide DHS DOJ Equifax Europe Facebook facial recognition FBI Firefox FTC games GDPR Google Government hacker identity theft India iPhone Iran IRS LinkedIn Microsoft North Korea PayPal phishing phishing email ransomware REvil Russia smartphone T-Mobile TikTok tutorial VPN WhatsApp WiFi Windows

Government

CBP Looks to Access Airline Passenger Data

FTC Releases Cyber Threat Video Playlist

Malware Found on US Government Funded Phones

UK NCA Reaches Out to Youth to Deter Cybercrimes

More Posts from this Category

Footer

Menu

  • Home
  • About
  • Authors
  • Newsletter Signup
  • PRIVACY POLICY

Search

Why Use a VPN?

NordVPN vs IPVanish VPN Review

NAVIGATION

  • Data Breaches
  • Data Privacy
  • Gamers
  • Scams
  • Malware

MEMBER NJCCIC

New Jersey Cybersecurity & Communications Integration Cell

STAY CONNECTED

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Twitter
  • RSS

Copyright © 2022 · AskCyberSecurity.com · METRONY, LLC

Go to mobile version